How elementary and high schools can help: the 5-2-1-0 rule
From 1981 to 1996 the number of boys and girls who were overweight doubled and the number that were obese tripled. Public Health Agency of Canada
Schools play an important role in teaching a child good eating habits and how to live an active life. Active and healthy children learn better and develop healthy habits that can last their whole lives.
Rule 5
5 or more servings of vegetables and fruit per day
Fruits and vegetables contain many nutrients that a child’s body needs and they should be the cornerstone of everyone’s diet. According to a 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, children who eat five or more servings of vegetables and fruit a day are significantly less likely to develop overweight and obesity than children who eat less than 3 servings per day. Additional evidence supports the linkage between high vegetable and fruit consumption and decreased cancers, diabetes and heart disease rates. Help you students reach the goal of 5 or more servings of vegetables and fruit per day:
- Learn more about implementing Healthy Buddies, a 21 week program with all lessons organized around one or more of the following by clicking here
- Make sure your school knows about Action Schools! BC a best practices whole-school model designed to assist schools in creating and implementing individualized action plans to promote healthy living while achieving academic outcomes and supporting Comprehensive School Health.
- Refer to the Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools when selecting food items for fundraisers, vending machines, cafeterias and school stores. Advertise only healthy foods and beverages on school grounds and use healthy foods for fundraisers.
- Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Learning Resource is a Kindergarten to Grade 10 grade-by-grade set of healthy eating and physical activity classroom-based lesson plans for the BC public school system. Ministry of Health, in partnership with Ministry of Education, developed the learning resources in consultation with students, teachers and health professionals. They are congruent with and meet minimum prescribed learning outcomes in Health and Career Education from Kindergarten to Grade 9 and Planning 10.
